iPhone 4S Mount and Apps?

Wynne G Oldman

Can anyone recommend a decent, inexpensive, water resistant mount for the iPhone 4S? Also, what's the best app for someone who wants to use the phone as a sat nav and keep a record of performance? I've installed Map My Ride, but haven't had a chance to have a proper play around with it yet. The Garmin app looks like it might be pretty good.

The Rookie

Btwin from decathlon - decent generic waterproof bar mount for smart phones and will take an Iphone, just bought one in the sales for £5, comes with a decent bar mount.

Strava is the most popular logging ap, there is Sport Tracker, but Strava is the best of the bunch in my opinion (for just logging - no navigation facility) as it pioneered the segment feature which adds a fun element, and I need more Oldmans so I can stay further up the segment leaderboards!

Wynne G Oldman

Thanks for the reply. I'll check them out.

markhewitt1978

The iPhone 4S used for tracking and sat nav will last max 3 hours before the battery goes flat.

Wynne G Oldman

markhewitt1978 wrote:

The iPhone 4S used for tracking and sat nav will last max 3 hours before the battery goes flat.

That's fine. I'm only going to use it for up to an hour and a half at a time.

The Rookie

If you switch off the other stuff (wifi and bluetooth) and don't use satnav it will last a lot lot longer, satnav is the killer due to the screen being lit continually, that's why I use googlemaps (android) and only switch it on when I need to.

Wynne G Oldman

The Rookie wrote:

If you switch off the other stuff (wifi and bluetooth) and don't use satnav it will last a lot lot longer, satnav is the killer due to the screen being lit continually, that's why I use googlemaps (android) and only switch it on when I need to.

Yes, I'm thinking of using Google Maps for directions, as it'll only be every now and again, and using another app for tracking performance. I haven't decided which one yet though. I'll wait until I get my new bike, and try some out then.

shmooster

The Biologic iPhone mount for the 4S is only £13 on Amazon, down from roughly £40 initially.

For Apps, googlemaps for navigation, strava, wahoo fitness (especially if you're using their sensors), endomondo, mapmyride etc.

If you fancy extra battery life occasionally look at external batteries from Anker.

Disabling wifi and bluetooth makes a relatively small difference to battery life and can affect GPS accuracy/sensor use, as stated earlier screen is the big killer. If you have a 4s the battery may be degraded a bit by now anyway.

These threads usually end up with someone recommending a Garmin, but see how you go.

Wynne G Oldman

shmooster wrote:

The Biologic iPhone mount for the 4S is only £13 on Amazon, down from roughly £40 initially.

For Apps, googlemaps for navigation, strava, wahoo fitness (especially if you're using their sensors), endomondo, mapmyride etc.

If you fancy extra battery life occasionally look at external batteries from Anker.

Disabling wifi and bluetooth makes a relatively small difference to battery life and can affect GPS accuracy/sensor use, as stated earlier screen is the big killer. If you have a 4s the battery may be degraded a bit by now anyway.

These threads usually end up with someone recommending a Garmin, but see how you go.

Garmin do an app for the iPhone and Android for 69p. I suppose that it does the same thing as a Garmin? I was thinking of trying it, but I'm going to wait for a few more replies yet, and to see if anyones used the Garmin app.

lancew

I would recommend the Topeak ride case with Strava, which you can add a route to but creating one on their website. Its not the best feature yet, but it will draw a line for you to follow, which I've used for 50 mile rides in the past. The ridecase is good because you can angle the phone once you're using it, and it can go portrait or landscape.

Personally I use a battery pack in a saddle bag, run my cable up to the ridecase which gives me a full day in the saddle.

There are two versions of the mount itself, the standard on the stem and the newer RX on the which is like a out in front mount.

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/top ... s-ec049295

Wynne G Oldman

I bought one of these http://www.amazon.co.uk/bicycle-cycle-H ... B00NEGODLE and I've installed Strava on my iPhone. I'll see how it goes. Thanks for all the suggestions.

shmooster

Wynne G Oldman wrote:

Garmin do an app for the iPhone and Android for 69p. I suppose that it does the same thing as a Garmin? I was thinking of trying it, but I'm going to wait for a few more replies yet, and to see if anyones used the Garmin app.

I think the hardware rather than the software is the attraction of Garmin. There are loads of free options for apps you can try without having to shell out, but then for 69p, who cares :-)

andrewc3142

Quad lock is very secure (although I use a zip tie as well just to make sure).

The main problem is the battery, which lasts about 2 hours on the 5C. Big fail on its one and only use leading a club ride and I had to guess the way home, pretending I knew what I was doing. Plus an iPhone isn't waterproof so you have to use the poncho thing - when it's on the touch screen is a bit hit and miss, and more importantly I can't see enough detail for route-finding.

I use an Ambit 2S for recording rides, speed and other data en route and for monitoring my own performance (or lack of). Uploads automatically to Strava.

ridewithgps for working out routes - used it pretty much since it started and it's very good, especially with the premium functions (which don't cost much).

Got myself a Garmin Touring for route finding. Software a bit clunky compared to the Ambit but works pretty well and the battery lasts long enough for a decent ride. Reasonably priced and should also be very useful for family holidays touring as a back-up for a map.

Gave up on Garmin Connect (it kept crashing when I tried to set it up) so just download routes direct from ridewithgps.

markhewitt1978

As I understand it the Garmin app is for connecting to Garmin devices not for acting as a cycle computer?

Wynne G Oldman

markhewitt1978 wrote:

As I understand it the Garmin app is for connecting to Garmin devices not for acting as a cycle computer?

I think you're talking about Garmin Connect, not Garmin Fit?

http://www.garmin.com/en-GB/apps

pinkteapot

Topeak drybag user here.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/topeak-iphone-44s-drybag/

I tried the various apps and settled on Cyclemeter. It'll upload to the Strava website when you've finished a ride so you can still use Strava online. The feature Cyclemeter has that others don't is ghost riders. When you have a route logged in it, it'll show you on the map is a blue dot, then it'll have red and green dots showing where you were on your best every and worst ever time on that route. Like the ghost riders in Mario Kart. I race myself home from work.

I:
use ridewithgps.com to plan my routes
export the .gpx
email it to myself and save it in Cyclemeter on my phone
use Cyclemeter as sat nav when riding (thought it doesn't do audio cues - you have to watch the map)
Cyclemeter uploads a ride to Strava after I've done it

Slightly convoluted but works for me!

Only downside of using Cyclemeter rather than the Strava app is I don't see Strava segments while out.

Battery lasts a lot longer if you turn the screen off (ie if you don't need sat nav and click the power button to go to black screen). If you do need sat nav, remember to set your phone to never switch to standby, or your screen will black out while you're looking at the map.

markhewitt1978

Wynne G Oldman wrote:

markhewitt1978 wrote:

As I understand it the Garmin app is for connecting to Garmin devices not for acting as a cycle computer?

I think you're talking about Garmin Connect, not Garmin Fit?

http://www.garmin.com/en-GB/apps

Yes Garmin Connect. Garmin Fit is old, hasn't even been updated to 16:9 screen size.

markhewitt1978

Cycle Meter looks interesting. Is there any reason to use that over the Strava app, considering most of the time my phone is in my back pocket?

Although it does claim to have customisable RFLKT support, while I don't have one of those I've been looking at them.

pinkteapot

markhewitt1978 wrote:

Cycle Meter looks interesting. Is there any reason to use that over the Strava app, considering most of the time my phone is in my back pocket?

Although it does claim to have customisable RFLKT support, while I don't have one of those I've been looking at them.

If it's in your pocket then probably not. The main feature that's different is the ghost riders, which you can see on-screen while you ride. I like how customisable the screen is - you can choose what stats to show while you're riding (eg speed, average speed, distance, heart rate, time, etc etc), what order they're in and what colour they are. But again, that's only useful if you have the phone out.

If you're just recording rides with the phone in your pocket I think both apps do the same things (from memory - I haven't used the Strava app for about 18 months).

In another advert for Cyclemeter I've emailed support a couple of times with questions and they've got back to me quickly with good answers. Better support than I'd expect from an app (as they don't cost much).

I haven't used the RFLKT support at all I'm afraid. I have the Wahoo heart rate monitor that connects up to Cyclemeter easily, but I think Strava would connect to it too.

shmooster

markhewitt1978 wrote:

Although it does claim to have customisable RFLKT support, while I don't have one of those I've been looking at them.

I have the RFLKT+ and love the functionality (temperature and barometer as well as display of stats with your phone screen off), but it has some showstopping issues, by far the worst of which is the battery. I get varying battery life of between 2-3 months and 1 hour (I kid you not, new battery to flat battery on a single commute). I think it may be related to electrical interference as it anecdotally seems worse when my lights on flashing next to it, and the hour life was when my light had a bad connection and was flickering like crazy.

The batteries are a pain to change (jewellers screwdriver required, and they're CR2450s which aren't that common) and if you don't seat the back properly you get bad connections and it keeps turning off.

I got a replacement from Wahoo for the issues I had and now just keep a stock of batteries and have one RFLKT+ ready to go when the other dies.

All that said, the fact that I'm still using it despite it's issues shows that it has a lot of good points.

Hopefully it will all be fixed in an updated release, as ridewithgps look to be adding turn by turn navigation display to it.

markhewitt1978

shmooster wrote:

Hopefully it will all be fixed in an updated release, as ridewithgps look to be adding turn by turn navigation display to it.

I saw that. That does look really interesting. As I was looking at a Garmin 810/1000 for the rare occasion I'm in an unfamiliar area. But if that works with the RFLKT then great.

Other than the battery you have no issues with it? I've seen a lot of people complaining about connectivity problems?

I like the idea of the RFLKT it's just that the unit looks so ugly and the screen low resolution - like it's a prototype model. If they would release a v2 model with a nicer looking sleeker case, a higher resolution screen and perhaps USB charging I'd buy that in a heartbeat.

shmooster

Sorry, just saw this. I had some connectivity issues after replacing the battery, but once I reseated the rear case it was fine. In terms of connectivity I have my phone very close to it, might not work so well if you have your phone in your back pocket as the body absorbs a lot of the signal (had this with my HR monitor).
The resolution isn't really an issue for what it's displaying but I'd agree that the design is a bit ugly. I'm hoping for an updated version like you describe as well.